I just want to see everyone's thoughts on these two pieces, which would be a better camping defense gun, deer gun, woodchuck gun, etc etc. Whatever class you would through these two guns in, which one is better.

I like the newer style .44 Carbine. The one with the magazine. I think of it as a modern Winchester M94. Light and short and easy to carry anywhere. But totally capable of bringing down anything you are likely to want to shoot. I've heard people fuss that there is no extended mag for it but that's just not consistent with the design. It's not a simple single stack. (Rimmed cartridges.) Ruger used their rotary mag design and it works perfectly. You can always carry one or two spares in your pocket. That is one of the good things about .44 Magnum performance out of a rifle though... one shot is nearly always enough. If you go through all five and still have a problem... either you need to aim better or hunt something a lot smaller!

And from a hunting perspective, I actually far prefer that little mag. I want my hunting rifle to have a smooth bottom if possible. Just a heck of a lot easier to carry around in the woods. I can walk around out there for hours and hours and I'm shifting the gun from hand to hand the whole time. (Never going to be able to unsling once a deer pops up right in front of you and takes off running.) I can carry that little .44 with one hand wrapped around the middle quite easily and comfortably.

On the other hand, what gun person doesn't love an original WWII M1 Carbine? My Rock Ola isn't for sale and never will be. Talk about short and light. True, the cartridge leaves something to be desired but reloading for it can at least give you better bullet options. Mine is mainly a fun gun although my wife and children have been trained on it since it fits them better than something like a full size FAL.

If you go through all five and still have a problem... either you need to aim better or hunt something a lot smaller!

I take offense to this....its not my fault those da*% woodchucks got the contract with Second Chance for all the Interceptors the Marines abandoned, I've shot one center mass with a .223 soft point and kept running like nothing hit him, came back the next day and I decided to use a .308 which almost blew him apart, sure enough he had two entry holes and a missing front leg. First time ANYTHING smaller than a deer has a survived a .223 round from me.

I'm with those that say two different rifles/optimal functions, despite the inevitable comparisons as to similar format. I don't have the Deerfield but do have .44 Mag levers in 16" and 20" barrels - as well as GI M1 Carbines. Love them both for different reasons - and within their purposes have zero bad to say about either. HD (home and immediate perimeter), pest'ing and, ammo cost aside, plinking fun - M1 gets the nod. Bear country camping and hunting deer on up, the .44. Lower elevations (out west) camp gun, take your pick.

the only thing these 2 have in common is they are semi auto carbines, likely with wood stocks... the 30 carbine is much less gun than a 357 carbine, without checking energies I bet the 44 has more than twice the 30 carbine...

that said, I do love my 30 carbine for plinking, but I would not deer hunt with it, anywhere the deer are bigger than dogs...

Different strokes for different folks. I chose a Marlin 1894 and a S&W 629 for my .44 magnum pair and A USGI M1 Carbine and Ruger Blackhawk for my M1 Carbine pair. The M1 Carbines fires a fast light bullet with muzzle energy about 900 ft-lbs. The .44 magnum fires a heavier bullet at a slower velocity for a muzzle energy of about 1000 ft-lbs.

If I were to limit use to light duty camp/target/light-medium game use I'd definitely go with the .30 M1 carbine pair. On the other hand if I were to consider heavy duty camp/target/medium-heavy game I'd go with the .44 magnum pair.

__________________Hook686

When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

I have used and hunted with 30-30s and 44 mag carbines for a good number of years and I feel that the 44 hit harder at 125-130 yards and under than the 30-30. The only advantage really the 30-30 has is the flater trigectory out from 150 to 200 + yards. Both are capable and effective and each has their advantages and disadvantages. but the 44 mag does hit harder and does put meat on the table. Comparing the 30 M1 Carbine (not the 30-30) to the 44mag is not compatable. Each has a designated purpose. The 44 is a hunting round for large small game and medium size game and the 30 Carbine is for small game and self-defence. Decide what and why you are needing the carbine will tell you which one to get. Or just buy both. One or both you won't be sorry.

A .44 carbine, the .44 Mag cartridge, is way ahead of the M1 carbine and its .30 carbine round in near every aspect except mag capacity. The .44M from a carbine is serious medicine, and the new Ruger was twised fast and will likely stabilize the super heavy .44 slugs ..265, 285, even 300 grains. (will they feed in an auto, I don't know) With those slugs, it is bad news for even really big game and I would feel more comfortable in bad bear country, or facing down a bayed up monster hog with a .44 carbine than a .30 carbine. I suppose you could re-zero the rifle and shoot 180-200's if you went on a groundhog safari, or wanted a light recoiling SD round.

Too, the Ruger will scope easy. It came with factory rings and plunking an optic on one is no big deal. No so the M1 carbine.

Now if I was jumping into Normandy, or a mortarman in the South Pacific, or holding off a horde of bad guys in a hurricane or twister wrecked suburb, the M1 and its 15-30 round boxes begin to look pretty good. But its cartridge pales in the shadow of the .44Mag.

I'd often wished they'd made a .40 carbine. (not .40 S&W, but something like an elongated 10mm Maximum)

I love them both and own both- I think it was a huge mistake for Ruger to stop making the tube mag version which is a tremendous rifle. For a better "all round" gun, you really cant go past the Ruger.

The M1 carbine is fabulous, but is simply lacking in power for most uses. It is great for plinking with. It has history. It has class. It has a 15 round magazine. It has no where enough power for a serious use, and is pretty much underpowered for deer ( except with careful shot placement, but since you cannot easily have a telescopic sight, that can be hard)

I think you can plink with the Ruger if you reload. Its a beast of a rifle, but , by Golly its fun to shoot and if you really need to kill something, it cant be beaten. I think also it makes a wonderful companion rifle for a .44 magnum revolver. You can also add a telescopic sight which increases its flexibility greatly).

__________________
"Beware of the Man with one gun...he probably isnt into guns enough to be safe with it".

I've been looking for a new Ruger .44 carbine for some time, they are out there but priced way high. The new carbines are twisted 1-20". That is akin to the revolver twist rate used by most mfg's, which have always produced good accuracy. They will also handle the big heavy slugs which take the .44 to its upper limit in punch.

The old Rugers were twisted 1-38", and accuracy has always been a so so thing with them. Mine would not keep 265 gr slugs on a 9" pie plate at 100 yds. It will put 180-200 grainers into about 3"inches. Lots of guys report better with the old rifles, but mine will not do any better.

At the current pricing, I suppose the semi is out, but the lever rifle might be affordabble

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